Mets legend helps Chick-fil-A surprise Team Member with $25,000 scholarship

“Overachiever” may be an understatement when it comes to Devin Lintao. In everything he does, he seems to go above-and-beyond.

He’s not just a volunteer. In the past year alone, he logged more than 700 hours of community service, spanning everything from distributing supplies to homeless in New York City to collecting donations of clothing for underprivileged children overseas.

He’s not just a New York Mets fan. He got an internship with the team and channeled his passion for the Mets and for writing, providing coverage of the team through Elite Sports NYandRisingApple.com. Through his writing, he has developed an impressive social media following, as he helps his more than 5,000 Twitter followers keep up with the latest Mets’ news.

And when his family dealt with loss and fell on hard times financially, he didn’t just persevere, he got a job and enrolled as a full-time student at Thomas Edison State University, earning a degree in communications.

To help pay for his education, Lintao has worked at the Newport Centre Chick-fil-A in Jersey City, New Jersey, since 2015. He aspires to participate in Chick-fil-A’s leadership development program, with an ultimate goal of one day becoming a franchise Operator.

“Devin brings a high level of determination and commitment to everything he does, leading by example every day,” said Erik Benitez, franchise Operator at Chick-fil-A Newport Centre, adding that Lintao is determined to keep learning, with a dream of earning his master’s degree.

Benitez and Chick-fil-A’s Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Jon Bridges, pulled off a huge surprise for the hard-worker and Mets fanatic. They teamed up with legendary Mets player Mookie Wilson to surprise Lintao with a $25,000 True Inspiration Scholarship, making him one of 13 Team Members to receive the honor in 2018 for their commitment to leadership, education and community service.

Watch the video to see Lintao’s reaction!

The True Inspiration Scholarship is part of Chick-fil-A’s Remarkable Futures initiative. Last year, more than 5,700 Team Members received $14.65 million in scholarships. Since 1973, nearly 46,700 Team Members have been awarded $61 million in scholarships.

Are you ready to begin your remarkable future with Chick-fil-A? Click here for more information and to find your nearest Chick-fil-A location.

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